Every Duck Has His Day
by My Reality is Fiction
Summary: How long can Andie stay clueless? When a bad date forces her to realize she might also have feelings for Duckie, will Andie be ready to handle it? And will Duckie finally fight for what he wants? R&R Please!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pretty in Pink or its characters. Although I do own the idea of this plot.**

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!! :)**

**Author's Note**

**Ok, this is my first PIP fanfic. I decided to write one because A) the movie is fantastic and B) there's only one other fic on this listing. Sad Day. Hope you enjoy!!**

**ps. Andie goes slightly OOC at the end. Sorry, that's just how it ended up. I like it, you might not...I apologize :)**

He knew he loved her as far back as the fifth grade. She had given him part of her oatmeal-raisin cookie and half a juice box and that had been that. From that moment on, Philip "Duckie" Dale had committed himself mind, body, soul, and bicycle to ensuring Andie Walsh's complete happiness. She was his best friend. It could be argued that she was his only friend, but Duckie was sure that even if he had had more, Andie would still have been top of the list. She was everything a guy like Duckie could wish for in a girl; funny, pretty, she had a great butt, and he was crazy about her. Too bad she was completely clueless.

* * *

"Hey, doll face," Duckie smirked, sliding in front of Andie's locker and peering at her from above his sunglasses.

"Duckie, get out of the way, I'm gonna be late for class," Andie moaned, shoving him aside.

Duckie rolled out of the way and ran into a couple of girls coming out of a classroom.

"Hey watch it, jerk!" one of them snapped.

"Sorry, truly, honestly," Duckie apologized, bowing repeatedly. The girls started to back away; looking thoroughly convinced he was insane. Duckie called after them, "I'll have my insurance company pay for any damages! That's a lovely sweater, by the way! They'll be fine," he added, turning back to Andie.

She rolled her eyes and started taking books out of her locker.

"I been thinking," Duckie continued, now leaning against the wall, "what if I just…dropped out?"

"Are you nuts?" Andie laughed, slamming her locker shut and turning to look at him.

"That's still being debated," Duckie smiled. Andie snorted and started down the hallway. Duckie followed her. "I'm serious, Andie, I could drop out."

"Duckie," Andie said, stopping dead in the middle of the hallway and staring at him, "we have four months left until we graduate."

"Sounds like the perfect time to me," Duckie shrugged, "right in the homestretch, right when they think they've got you sucked into their little collegiate plan, WHAM! You quit. Am I a genius, do I know how to fight the power?" Andie opened her mouth but Duckie held up his hand. "Don't answer that, it'll ruin the magic."

"Go to class, Duckie," Andie laughed, turning her back on him and hoping she could still make it to Biology on time.

"All right then," Duckie yelled through the crowds of kids hurrying off to class, "I'll save you a step at lunch! And don't bring Italian this time, it makes me gassy!"

He saw Andie try and make herself even smaller than she already was and smiled to himself. He was going to marry her.

* * *

When the lunch bell rang, Duckie rushed outside to get a good spot on the steps. He spread himself out and then looked anxiously around for Andie, who showed up a few minutes later and plopped down next to him.

"Sooooo," Duckie started the minute she sat down, "I was kinda thinking that you and I might work on those stupid History papers tonight. I have this nagging feeling that I have no idea what the Russian Revolution was really about."

"Why do you say that?" Andie asked, pulling out her sandwich and ripping off the crusts.

"Because I've slept through every class since November" Duckie said, stealing a crust and popping it into his mouth.

"Well, I wish I could help but I'm busy tonight," Andie said. She took a bite of her sandwich and didn't look at him.

Duckie frowned, then laughed it off.

"What'dya mean? What are you doing? Does Iona need you to work for her or somethin'? Cause we can work at the record store, I don't mind."

"No, Duckie, I'm not working late," Andie said, still not looking at him. Her cheeks were pinker than normal.

Despite the fact that his stomach was clenching unpleasantly, Duckie kept a smile firmly plastered on his face.

"Well, what then?" He asked, shoving a couple of chips in his mouth.

"I…um…well, I have an engagement," she muttered.

"A date, you mean," he said bitterly through a mouthful of Ruffles.

Andie looked up, jaw set in firm determination.

"Yes, a date. I have a date, Duckie. Is that a problem?"

_Um, Yeah!_ He thought quickly. His face must have shown what he was thinking because Andie looked at him strange. Duckie squirmed and gave an uncomfortable little chuckle, shoving her playfully.

"Naw, you know, I just wanna know who the lucky guy is so I can give him the run down. You know, tell him all about the shotgun I like to polish while watching do-it-yourself taxidermy tapes, that kind of stuff." He flashed another winning smile but Andie didn't look completely convinced. Starting to feel himself sweat, Duckie gathered up his lunch and shoved it into the pockets of his blazer. He needed to get out of here. "Yeah, um, I'll catch you later, honey. I got classes to skip, teachers to piss off," he slapped a quick kiss on her cheek, "call you later."

Then he ran off to hide behind the auto shop until school let out.

* * *

So she had a date, so what? She'd had plenty of dates before now and they had never come of anything substantial, why should this loser be any different? Maybe she didn't even like him, maybe it was a dare or she felt sorry for the poor twerp, or maybe her dad had set it up and she couldn't back out of it. Yeah, that was it. Jack had set her up with one of the deadbeats he met down at the unemployment office. Andie was too nice, she'd never say no to something her dad wanted.

Finally calming himself down, Duckie leaned against the brick wall of the auto shop and slid down to a sitting position. He'd call her later and everything would be alright. She wasn't walking out on him; it was all just one big misunderstanding. I mean, Andie wouldn't just dump him for some…some…_guy._

Would she?

* * *

Duckie called Andie's house the first time around nine. Jack told him she still wasn't in yet, but he would be sure to give her the message. He tried again at nine-fifteen and nine-thirty, but still no luck. At nine forty-five he rode his bike passed her house, and then circled the block for an hour until Jack showed up on the front porch and told him to go home, promising he'd have Andie call when she got in.

By eleven-fifteen, however, Duckie was starting to get nervous. His fingers were itching to dial Andie's number again but he was afraid of upsetting Jack, so he sat on his hands to avoid temptation. At eleven-thirty Duckie started pacing his room, and by midnight he was literally hyperventilating.

Finally, just as a path was starting to wear in his carpet, the phone rang. Duckie shot across the room and over his bed, successfully knocking the receiver across the floor. He dove for it and jammed it against his ear.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, young lady?" Duckie said severely, putting a hand on his hip even though no one could see. "Your mother and I were worried sick!"

There was a silence on the other end of the phone. Duckie paused, listening. _Was she there? Was it even Andie?_

"Andie?" He asked, his tone considerably gentler.

There was a small sound on the other end of the phone, almost like someone crying.

"Andie? Andie, what's wrong?"

"C-can you come over?" She choked.

"I'll be right there."

* * *

Duckie parked his bike on the patch of grass next to the Walsh's garage and then scrambled up the lattice leading to Andie's bedroom window. Normally he would have just gone through the front door, but something told him that Jack might not be too happy to see him this late at night. So, instead, he hoisted himself up on the roof under her window and looked inside. Andie was sprawled out, face down, on her bed in her pajamas. Her body was shaking, and Duckie could tell she hadn't stopped crying since getting off the phone with him. Very lightly, he tapped on the glass.

Andie's head shot up at once. Her mascara was running down her face and her eyes were bloodshot. Duckie felt his insides twist. What had that goon done to her tonight?

"I'm s-sorry I asked you to come over so late," Andie sputtered as she pushed the window open and allowed him to climb inside. "But my d-dad's already in bed and I didn't know who else to talk to."

"It's alright," Duckie said, closing the window behind him and guiding her back to the bed. They sat down. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Duckie, my date was horrible!" Andie wailed, throwing herself forward on the bed. "He—he," but another wave of sobs racked her before she could finish.

Alarmed, Duckie grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up again.

"Andie, he didn't try nothing, did he? I mean, this guy, he didn't…you know…try to—to," Duckie stumbled around awkwardly, trying to put what he meant in delicate terms, but Andie was already nodding.

"Y-yes!" Andie sobbed, wiping her streaming eyes.

Rage, white-hot, cataclysmic, volcanic rage coursed through Duckie. His whole body felt like someone had tried to jump-start it, and he found himself shaking so intensely it resounded in his ears.

"Who is he?" Duckie demanded. "Who is the bastard? I'll kill him, Andie, I swear to God I'll kill the son-of-a-bitch! Who did it?"

Andie shook her head again.

"No," she said firmly despite the water that was still cascading down her cheeks. "No, Duckie, you can't! Please, please promise me, you can't do anything! It'll only make more trouble."

"Andie, this guy tried to—I can't just sit back and let him—Andie, get real here!"

"Please!" She said, grabbing his hand and looking him deep in the eyes.

Duckie started to argue again but melted the minute her eyes met his. He thought it was stupid, but if Andie wanted it to be so…then, it was so.

"Fine," he said softly.

He saw her relax.

"Why'd you call me then, if you didn't want me to run out and go G.I. Joe on this guy?" Duckie asked after a silent moment.

"I…I just needed somebody…you." Andie said quietly.

"Well, here I am."

"Yeah," she managed a small smile.

There was another awkward pause.

"You should—er—get to bed," Duckie muttered. "I'll just let myself out."

He was halfway to the window when Andie called out to him.

"Duckie?"

He turned. She was already under the covers and pushed all the way to the right of her small twin bed. She looked like she was having a very hard time coming to a decision about something. Finally, she spoke.

"Could you…do you think you could…please stay? I don't want to be alone right now."

Duckie blinked at her, unsure he had really heard what he thought he had just heard. Unless he was imagining things, which he might be, she had just asked him to spend the night. In her bed. While she was in it. In pajamas. Without a bra. He suddenly got the intense urge to pinch himself. Then he remembered what had just almost happened to her. Shame crept up on him, how could he stand there thinking about Andie braless after what she had just told him. She needed him to be a friend, a shoulder to cry on, and his brain was going all horndog on him. _Come on, Duckster, get it together._

"Please?" Andie repeated again, pulling Duckie out of his momentary coma.

"Um, yeah," He said somewhat awkwardly.

He kicked off his shoes and dropped his blazer on the floor next to her bed. Then, nervously, he climbed under the covers next to her. Timidly, Andie scooted over and rested her head on his chest, her arm draping across his stomach.

"You don't mind, do you? The bed's so small," Andie said.

"No," Duckie said, his voice slightly higher than normal. "No, nope. No, you're fine."

Slowly, he let his arm fall over her shoulders. Her skin was warm and soft. Duckie bit his lip and prayed he would be able to make it through this ordeal without her feeling the embarrassing erection that was already creeping up on him.

Andie nuzzled her head against his chest and gave him a gentle squeeze. Duckie stifled a pained moan.

"You're my best friend, you know that?" Andie said, her voice slightly muffled by his shirt. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Oh," Duckie said, patting her hair, "I'm sure you'd manage somehow."

"No, I mean it." Andie pushed herself up so they were face to face with each other. "You're the best friend I've ever had. I've never met anybody else I can talk to like I can talk to you. And tonight…who else would have understood tonight?"

"I—I dunno," Duckie muttered, his eyes unable to decide whether they wanted to look at her eyes or her mouth.

"I don't think I'd survive high school without you," Andie said softly.

"Oh, I think you'd manage," He said, his voice shaking slightly. She was so damned close.

"No," Andie whispered. Something passed over her face, and she blinked at him as though she had never seen him before. "No, I don't think I would."

Andie's mouth was suddenly pressed tight against his. Surprised, Duckie pulled back a little, but Andie kept kissing. She ran her fingers through his hair and leaned closer. Duckie looked around for something that would help him, something that would make her get off. He wanted Andie, God knows he wanted Andie, but he didn't want her like this, not while she was all vulnerable and easily manipulated. This wasn't right, not like this, not now. Duckie grabbed ahold of the headboard and used it to pull himself away. Their lips parted with a loud, wet smack.

"I gotta go, Andie," Duckie said quickly, throwing himself off the bed and clumsily slipping on his shoes. "I'm really sorry. I just—I got stuff—My grandmother's in town—cake in the oven—I'll call you tomorrow!"

He grabbed his blazer, shoved open the window, and just about jumped to the grass below.

* * *

Duckie walked his bike home that night, he was shaking too hard to steer properly. After years of waiting, years of kissing his pillow and pretending it was Andie, years of making himself look like an idiot, he had finally got his moment. Unfortunately, he couldn't enjoy it, he felt too low. He wondered vaguely what Andie would be more angry about, him kissing her back or him jumping out of the window to avoid kissing her further. Whatever one she chose, Duckie knew he'd never been able to win the arguement anyway. God, why'd she have to pick now? Why'd she have to pick tonight? Why couldn't it have been at the prom, or the record store, or a desert island two months from now? Duckie kicked a rock across the street in frustration.

Still, it had been a good kiss, tainted a little by her impaired judgement and the fact that she was almost deflowered, but good all the same. He wondered if maybe, tomorrow, a week from now, sometime over the summer, she'd let him kiss her again. The right way, the way she was meant to be kissed. Something inside him doubted it. Oh well, maybe he'd try, maybe he wouldn't. It didn't really matter right now.

At any rate, he'd call her in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pretty in Pink.**

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**

**Author's Note**

**Thanks to everyone who review/added my story to their favorites, I really appreciate it! I originally wrote this story as a oneshot but decided, after reading my reviews, that I couldn't leave Duckie hanging like I did. So now this story is looking to be about 3 chapters long. I hope you enjoy chapter 2, and keep an eye out for the conclusion!!**

Andie awoke the next morning with a terrible headache and an even worse sense of foreboding. Immediately, Duckie's face came to mind, and Andie's stomach churned like she had something very large and wriggly living inside it. She had kissed him, she had kissed her best friend and now she had to get up and face him at school. What was she going to say to him? "Hey, Duckie, sorry about kissing you last night, my mistake. Let's forget it, ok?" It sounded lame just thinking it.

But what was worse, what was really causing the serpent in her stomach to writhe uncontrollably, was the fact that a part of her really didn't want to forget about it. It had been…well…_nice_. Better than nice, great, magnificent, the best damn kiss she had ever had in her entire life. And even worse still, it really hadn't been all that much of a mistake. She had wanted to kiss him. Now, however, she wasn't so sure that had been the right move. Duckie loved her too much, loved her like her dad still loved her mom, a woman who had walked out on them three years ago without so much as a second glance. She knew what happened when people loved that strongly, it only made them that much easier to destroy. Andie wasn't going to let Duckie end up like her dad, and she sure as hell wasn't ever going to be her mother.

As if on cue, the phone rang. Andie let it go to voicemail, knowing full well who was on the other end. She couldn't face him just yet. She needed the drive to school to figure out the best way to avoid breaking his heart entirely.

* * *

Andie was kneeling on the floor, sifting through the bottom of her locker for a spare pencil, when a pair of all too familiar white shoes appeared next to her. Her heart jumped.

"Good mornin'" Duckie said, beaming down at her. "You know, this is a very becoming angle for you, the way the fluorescents are hitting you is simply ravishing."

"Hi, Duckie," Andie mumbled. She closed her locker and straightened up, looking at the floor rather than his face.

It didn't take Duckie long to figure out what was wrong. In fact, he would have been surprised if he had been greeted any other way this morning. The standoffish vibe Andie was emitting was exactly what he had expected from her. Typical Andie; cut them off fast and quick. No use in letting people dangle around, it'll only hurt more if they did. Her way of dealing with uncomfortable emotions was like how other people dealt with band-aids.

Still, Duckie forced himself to play dumb and keep a smile plastered on his face. Mostly so he didn't go to pieces in front of her.

"You seem kinda spacey. Didja have a nightmare last night?" He asked. Andie didn't answer. He tried a different approach, "Wanna go to the nurse? If you slip her a Twinkie she'll let you sleep all the way through homeroom. I could go with and keep you company," He added. "Maybe if we both give her something we'll be able to skip until lunch. Not like I was planning on going to class anyway…but for you, I mean."

His laughter died away awkwardly in the silence Andie was still forcing upon them. Duckie stuffed his hands into his pockets and bounced a little on the balls of his feet, clicking his tongue uncomfortably.

"So, those Bears are lookin' good," Duckie said in another feeble attempt to make conversation.

"You don't watch football, Duckie," Andie said finally.

"Well, I've been thinking about taking it up." He chuckled, she didn't laugh. "Come on, Andie, what does a guy have to do to get you to talk to him? What does your breath smell or something? Cause I swear if you ran outta toothpaste this morning I—"

"Duckie, stop it," Andie snapped. "Just stop talking, ok?"

"Why, what did I do?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'm just trying to get you to actually _be _in the conversation."

"I'm trying to!" Andie said, her voice turning shrill. "But you just keep going, you won't shut up!"

"Well, I'm shut up now," Duckie said, not bothering to keep the hurt from his voice.

Andie looked away from him again. She really didn't want to say what she had to say. A picture of her dad floated in front of her eyes and her resolve strengthened a little. She couldn't break Duckie's heart that horribly, she couldn't be her mother. It was best just to end anything that might have happened right now.

"Duckie, I didn't mean to kiss you last night," Andie said quickly, staring at his shoes rather than his face. "It was a mistake and I hope you can forgive me. It didn't mean anything and I'm sorry if I confused you."

Duckie had known the words were coming eventually, he had even imagined her saying them to him as he lie in bed last night. But in real life, the sound of rejection stung a hell of a lot worse.

"I see," Duckie said quietly, running a hand over his hair.

"I really am sorry, Duckie," Andie repeated, reaching out to touch him. Duckie tensed but let her hand fall on his arm.

"Yeah, well, it was a mistake right? Mistakes happen all the time, what'cha gonna do?" Duckie's heart felt like it had leapt into his throat, which was tightening painfully. He started to back away from her. "I'm just glad I could help, you know, be there for you and everything. What are friends for, right?" Duckie chuckled and his voice cracked. He coughed to cover it up. "Look, I gotta get going…I'll—er—I'll see you later."

He turned and started down the hallway.

"I'll save a seat at lunch!" Andie called after him.

Duckie waved over his shoulder and continued walking, his throat now burning. Getting a drink at the nearest water fountain, he came to two conclusions. The first was that he wasn't going to have lunch with Andie today; the second was that, for the first time since sophomore year, he would actually go to his classes. At least there he would be able to think about algebra or history and not about her.

* * *

Andie had to be the worst friend in the history of ever. As she watched Duckie disappear into the sea of kids scurrying to classes, she felt, if possible, even worse than she had this morning. She wondered if Duckie would actually show up for lunch and doubted it. The look in his eyes had told her everything. He would disappear when the bell rang and probably not turn up for the rest of the day. Blinking back the tears that had suddenly appeared in her eyes, Andie hurried off to her class.

Just as she opened the door, a tall, good looking boy with piercing eyes ran into her as he passed, knocking the books out of her arms.

"God, I'm sorry," he apologized as he bent to pick them up. "I didn't see you."

"It's ok," Andie said distractedly, her thoughts still with Duckie. She took her books back and moved to her usual seat. A moment later, the boy plopped down in the seat next to her.

"I'm Blane, by the way," He said, offering her a crooked smile.

"Andie," she said, smiling a little in return as the bell rang.

* * *

Duckie sat in Algebra, doodling absentmindedly on the desk, and trying to keep his mind off of Andie, who, incidentally, was two doors away and sitting third desk on the right in the second row. Not that he was thinking about her…she just always sat there, it was fact, he couldn't help it if he knew where she sat. Frustrated, he brought his pencil down a little too hard on the desk and the tip snapped off. Great, now he'd have to pay attention to math.

He turned his attention to the chalkboard but couldn't focus. All the numbers and letters seemed to be rearranging themselves to look like Andie, and he found his mind darting back to where she sat two doors down. Maybe class was a bad idea, maybe after the bell rang he'd just get on his bike and head out to the mall, spend the rest of the day cruising around the sidewalks and checking out the thrift stores. Hopefully then, when she wasn't still so close, he'd be able to empty his mind a little.

Duckie doubted it, though.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pretty in Pink**

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!! 3**

**Author's Note**

**Here it is! The epic 4,000 word ending to Every Duck Has His Day! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited my story, particularly Marty's Girl, MysteryGirl2000, Italiangeek1, Duckie9848, and Drygionus! You guys rock out loud!**

**Please review and tell me what you thought. Remember, reviews are love :)**

**Enjoy!**

Andie Walsh has a boyfriend.

He had heard the words, plain as day, come out of some preppy, khaki skirted Richie girl's mouth as he was taking a drink from the water fountain. Duckie spat water back into the fountain bowl with surprise and the Richie girl grimaced before herding her friends away. Duckie watched them go, mouth gaping, spit and water trickling down his chin. It wasn't possible. Andie couldn't be dating someone, she'd have told him, she told him everything!

In all honesty, however, Andie hadn't really been telling Duckie much of anything lately. Ever since she had kissed and rejected him, Duckie had been doing his best to avoid contact with Andie, even going as far as suggesting he had homework that needed doing. It wasn't because he hated her, or was even still all that upset over what she did; he had forgiven her ages ago. No, he was mainly avoiding her because if he stood by her or spoke to her for longer than five minutes his heart started to feel like someone was trying to drive a tractor through it. For the past month his conversations with Andie had been limited to "Hi", "Bye", or "Maybe tomorrow". Nothing very deep, it's true, but Duckie was sure Andie would have mentioned something as monumental as a boyfriend!

Wiping the spit from his bottom lip, Duckie shook the idea from his head. It was crazy, Andie having a boyfriend that he didn't know about. Those girls must have been talking about somebody else, or they got their information from a bad source. Either way, it couldn't be true. Andie would have told him, he was positive of that.

Duckie left the fountain and headed off down the hallway towards Andie's locker. If there was ever a time to try talking to her again, now was definitely it. She was there, fiddling with the combination. He paused and watched her, a smile tugging at his lips and his heart fluttering a little in his chest. She was too beautiful. Taking a deep breath, Duckie started forward again.

Before he reached her, however, a boy appeared out of nowhere. Duckie stopped, watching, his heart skipping about ten beats. The boy leaned against the lockers and pushed a few stray hairs out of Andie's face. She smiled up at him, her whole face lighting up. Duckie looked away, the familiar pain stabbing at his chest. When he looked back the boy was gone, but Andie remained. Summoning courage from somewhere deep inside of him, Duckie sauntered up to her locker.

"Long time no talk," Duckie said. Andie, who hadn't noticed him, jumped a little.

"God, Duckie," she said, clutching her chest, "you scared me."

"Sorry," He apologized. Then, in a would be casual voice, he asked, "Who's the guy?"

"What guy?" Andie asked, her cheeks going pink.

Anger flashed through Duckie so quickly he almost didn't know what to do with it. Ok, so there was a guy. Ok, so she hadn't mentioned him. Ok, so he had found out through a third party. Whatever, he didn't care about that, he could take that. What he couldn't take was being lied to face to face. Did she think he was that stupid he couldn't put it together? Or, maybe, she thought he was too fragile to handle the truth. Well he wasn't a piece of china, he was a person, a person who deserved the know what the hell was going on!

"Andie, I'm not blind, ok…I saw him. Who is he?"

"A friend," Andie murmured, closing her locker and starting down the hallway.

Duckie followed her. All right, she wanted to play games. He'd play along.

"A boyfriend, maybe?" he pressed.

"No," Andie said a little too quickly, "why would you say that?"

"Sure looked like a boyfriend to me," Duckie said, falling into step next to her. "Funny, I was under the impression we were friends. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a general rule that friends tell each other about changes in their relationship status? I could be completely off base; I did leave my best friend handbook in my other pants this morning."

"And correct me if _I'm _wrong," Andie threw back, stopping suddenly and rounding on him, "but I thought best friends don't just stop talking to each other for months on end. Maybe if you had tried speaking to me I would have told you about him!"

"Oh yeah, Andie," Duckie sneered, "I really wanted to talk to you after being tossed in the reject pile. Sorry, I forgot the only one who's feelings matter is you!"

"What are you talking about?" Andie snapped.

"Who is this guy, anyway? Some Richie?" Duckie laughed humorlessly. "Does he have a big car, Andie? How about his house? I bet that's huge too. And, you know, I guess that's all that matters, isn't it? Things, stuff, lots of stuff, because how on earth can anyone be happy without all that _shit _filling up their life, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Andie repeated, her voice going shrill.

"I'm talking about us, Andie!" Duckie yelled. "You and me!"

"There is no you and me, Duckie," Andie said through her teeth, her voice shaking.

"WHY NOT?" Duckie bellowed, his uncharacteristic outburst empowering him to go further. Andie started to speak but he cut her off. "I'll tell you why, Andie, because you're scared. You're scared of me, you're scared of actually falling in love, but most of all I think you're scared of being your mother!"

Andie gaped at him.

"That's not true," she said quietly. "It was a mistake; I told you it was mistake."

"Bullshit," Duckie spat, crossing his arms. "It wasn't a mistake; you know it wasn't a mistake! You saw me that night, really saw me for the first time, I watched it happen. You wanted to kiss me, Andie, why can't you just admit it?" Duckie paused and took several deep breaths. The next time he spoke, it was gentler. "It wouldn't be that horrible, you know...being with me. Hell, I might even make you happy. More than what's-his-name, probably."

"His name's Blane," Andie said.

"Charming," Duckie muttered.

There was an awkward silence. Duckie coughed.

"What do you say, Andie?" he asked quietly.

Andie looked at him and then away. He was right, he was absolutely right about everything, but Andie still couldn't face it. She wanted to be with Duckie, she just didn't know _how_ to be with him. Andie felt like she was trapped in some kind of limbo. She couldn't go back to the way things were before and she was scared shitless to move forward. That's why she was with Blane. Blane was safe, and boring, and totally predictable, and he never pushed her in a direction she didn't want to go. Duckie was just too frightening. He made her feel vulnerable, and vulnerability was weakness. So, taking a deep breath she looked up and said:

"Blane's waiting for me."

And she walked off towards the stairs.

Duckie watched her go with an odd feeling of emptiness. She was actually going, actually walking away from him. He hesitated for half a second and then ran after her, determined to have the last word.

"Andie!" he called. She turned halfway down the stairs and looked up at him. "I'm not going to be around forever, Andie. I've let you kick my heart all to hell for eight years and I still come crawling back. Well, not any more. You've got to pick, Andie. Either you want this _Blane_ guy or me. But if you pick him…well…I'm not gonna stick around much longer." Andie's eyes went wide. Duckie shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna waste any more time on somebody who doesn't give a shit."

Andie made to open her mouth but Duckie was already striding away. She lingered on the stairs, torn between running after him and breaking down in helpless tears. Then she remembered Blane and the ride to the mall he promised her and ran off to meet him.

* * *

It was all over, Duckie could just feel it; he didn't have a chance in hell of winning Andie. How could he compete with Blane? Duckie thought bitterly how wonderful it must be to have money. All his childhood, people had told him he could do anything he wanted to when he got older. What a slap in the face it was to wake up and realize what they really meant was "anything you wanted long as you have a way to pay for it". Apparently, those terms also applied to who you got to be with.

Duckie leaned against a locker and knocked his head back against the wall. If it really turned out he had to give Andie up he wasn't sure he would be able to go on. Living without her would be like living without oxygen. He only hoped he'd be able to make it with a few shreds of dignity still intact.

Pulling his head away from the wall, Duckie caught sight of a poster hanging directly across from him. _Vote Now For Prom King and Queen!_ Prom…that was coming up soon, wasn't it. It was like adding salt to an already festering wound. Maybe he wouldn't go.

No, he'd go. What if, by some miracle, some freak of nature, Andie actually picked him? He had to go for that very reason, and if he got dirt kicked in his eye again (like he undoubtedly thought he would), he'd just take it like a man. It was about time he started standing up for himself, anyway. Today had been a good start.

* * *

Andie leaned her forehead against the window of Blane's car. He was driving her to work at the mall and going on about some party one of his friends was having that weekend. Andie wasn't paying any attention; she was too busy thinking about what Duckie had said to her. Would he really leave her forever if she chose to stay with Blane? That hardly seemed fair. They had been friends forever, how could he just _stop _that easily?

Andie heaved a sigh and Blane looked over at her.

"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" he asked, laughing a little.

"What?" Andie's head snapped up and she looked at him. "Oh, no…sorry."

"What's the matter?" Blane asked.

"Nothing," Andie said. Blane gave her a look, Andie rolled her eyes. "I had a fight with my best friend."

"What's her problem?"

"Well, actually—" Andie started, then stopped. She had been about to say "she's a he", but decided against it. She really didn't want to have another fight at the moment. Coughing, Andie continued, "She's a little upset I'm dating you."

"What?" Blane exclaimed, laughing again. "How come?"

"She…she doesn't think you're good enough for me," Andie said.

"Well, what do you think?" Blane asked, taking her hand and kissing it.

Andie smiled a little.

"I think you're just fine."

Blane grinned at her and then turned back to the road. Andie slumped against her seat. Somehow she felt even worse than before. Blane was fine, he was a sweet guy, she had said so herself. So why couldn't she just get Duckie out of her mind and focus on him instead. It should have been relatively easy.

It wasn't.

* * *

**Prom Night**

Duckie stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom and made a face at his appearance. The suite the lady at the thrift store had found for him was a little too mainstream for his tastes, but the price had been right so he had bought it. He had done his best to make it his own, adding a bolo tie and slipping on his usual pair of shoes, but he still thought he looked like something out of a J.C. Penny's catalog.

"Well, Duckman, you've sunk to a new low," he muttered to his reflection, adding a last dollop of grease to his hair. Duckie gave himself a final once over. He smirked. "I gotta say, for a guy who's about to go down in flames, you look pretty damn good."

Turning from the mirror, Duckie fished his sunglasses out of a discarded blazer. Then, slipping them on his face, he flicked off the light and closed the door behind him.

Thirty minutes later, Duckie was lounging at a deserted table in the middle of the Crystal Hotel's ballroom. A hundred or so of his classmates were dancing around him, having the time of their lives. Duckie, on the other hand, was busy trying to flick playing cards into an ashtray. It wasn't particularly the way he had envisioned his senior prom going, but it killed time. What he was really waiting for was Andie, but so far she hadn't showed up.

He was just beginning to doubt that she was ever going to show when he looked up and saw her come through the double doors, looking more beautiful than he had ever seen her.

* * *

Andie had spent all day fighting with herself. One the on hand, she had Blane. He was reliable, he was handsome, and he was boring her to death. On the other hand, she had Duckie. He was sweet, he was loyal, and he was the only person in the entire world who made her feel like her feet weren't firmly planted on the ground. Andie still couldn't shake how nervous that made her feel. And she still wasn't quite sure she trusted herself to not turn into her mother, that was a ghost Andie knew would haunt her for a long time.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and her father, Jack, came inside. When he saw her sitting in front of her vanity, all decked out in her prom attire, his face broke into a brilliant grin. Jack crossed the room and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"You're so grown up," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Just beautiful."

Andie turned around in her seat to look at him.

"Thanks, Daddy," she said, smiling.

Jack's grin faltered a little and then turned into a frown altogether.

"What's the matter?" He asked seriously.

Andie blinked at him and then snorted, "You always know, don't you?" Jack stared at her. Andie sighed. "I don't know if I want to go to the prom."

"Why not?" Jack asked, moving closer.

"It's…a lot of things," she muttered.

Jack was quiet a minute.

"You know, Phil hasn't been by lately," he said carefully.

"Yeah, he's part of the problem," Andie sighed.

Jack grinned a little.

"Not a fan of Blane, is he?"

"You could say that," Andie smirked. "He also…well, he thinks that we…He pretty much told me…"

"He loves you," Jack finished for her.

"Yeah," Andie said, wilting.

"And you love Blane?" he asked. Andie bit her lip and looked at her hands. Jacked tilted her head up, "You don't love Blane, do you?"

"It's not that easy, Daddy," Andie said, getting up and crossing to the window. "I should love Blane; he's good for me, for us. He's got money and he's smart, and he'd never make me do anything I didn't want to. He never pushes my buttons, and he's crazy about me, and I'm bored out of my mind!"

"So, don't date Blane," Jack advised, as though he was telling her to go out and pick up a loaf of bread.

"Oh, Daddy," Andie moaned, wiping her eyes, which had suddenly gone moist.

"What? Don't date him! He bores you, so get rid of him. Who doesn't bore you?" Andie was quiet. "It's Phil, right?" Andie nodded. "So, date Phil!"

"I can't!" She cried, spinning around.

"Why not?" Jack asked, now totally confused.

"Because he reminds me of you and I don't want to be my mother!" Andie wailed, tears now spilling down her cheeks.

"Hey, come on now," Jack cooed, jumping up and enveloping her in his arms. Andie buried her head against his chest. "No more of that, you'll ruin your makeup. And what do you mean you're afraid of being your mother? Sweetie, you couldn't be your mother in a million years."

"He scares me," Andie mumbled against his chest, wiping her eyes. "He scares me and I feel so out of control around him. Why?"

Jack laughed a little.

"Well," he said slowly, "I can't say for sure…but maybe, maybe it's because you love him too?"

Andie looked up at her father and he smiled down at her, and for the first time she just allowed herself to feel what she had been blocking up for the past month and a half. He was right, she did love him, and if she didn't do something fast she might just lose him forever.

"Daddy, I need to get to the dance," Andie said, breaking out of the hug and looking around for her shoes. "Can you drive me?"

"What about Blane?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll call him later, he'll understand."

Jack nodded and left the bedroom to go start the car. Andie slipped on her shoes and checked her face in the mirror. The damage wasn't too bad; actually, it wasn't bad at all. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were sparkling like she'd never seen them do before. She was glowing. Chuckling at herself, Andie ran out of the room, not bothering to turn out the light.

* * *

Duckie stood paralyzed for a moment, she had quite literally taken his breath away. It wasn't until she walked up to him and started to speak was he able to pull himself out of his trance.

"Hi," Andie said timidly.

"Hey," Duckie said, smirking slightly. He cast a look over her shoulder, "where's _Blane_?"

"I didn't come with him," she breathed.

Duckie blinked.

"What'dya mean?"

"He's not my date," Andie repeated.

She reached out and took his hand in hers. Duckie's heart spun around completely in his chest.

"But I thought he was a great guy?" He said weakly, praying she was suggesting what he thought she was suggesting.

"He is, and he's going to make some rich girl very happy." Andie grinned at the look of surprise on Duckie's face. Then she turned serious. "Duckie, I'm so sorry, I've been an idiot. Everything you said the other day—" Duckie started to speak but Andie held up her hand, "_everything _you said was true, especially the part about my mother. But I think I'm ok now. At least, I want to give it a shot."

"You mean that?" Duckie asked, eyeing her uncertainly. "Because I wouldn't blame you if you ran out of here screaming for Blane. The kid's got a car and everything. I mean, some girls are ok with riding on handlebars, but I've never really, you know, pegged you as one of them."

"I don't care about the car," Andie reassured, taking a step closer to him.

"And think about his house!" Duckie continued, still not believing her. "The best I'm gonna be able to give you is a Coleman tent. Until I win the lottery, that is…which I have a really good feeling about, by the way."

"I don't care about the money," Andie said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"And he's a really handsome guy," Duckie said, more to tease her at this point than anything. "Think about how beautiful your kids would be. You'd be able to enter them in all sorts of demeaning little pageants. Parade them around like show dogs, maybe turn one into the new Gerber Baby."

"Duckie, shut up," Andie smiled.

Duckie smiled back and then, very slowly, he brought his lips down to meet hers. It was even better then he remembered it. Andie's lips were soft and moist and tasted slightly of cherry. _Must be her lipstick,_ Duckie thought vaguely. He tightened his grip around her waist and kissed her deeper, making Andie's head spin. When they finally broke apart, they were both out of breath.

"Andie, don't freak out," Duckie said, running his hand down the side of her face, "but I'm in love with you."

"Me too," Andie whispered, nuzzling his hand. She tilted her head up and kissed him again. "How long do you think it'd take you to set up that tent?"

**The End**


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